Black ZQN: Selected Chauffeur

Following a long haul-flight, unavoidable customs queues and baggage
claim palavers, the last thing travellers need is to feverishly await a
taxi upon their first breath of fresh air in a holiday destination. Lee
Suckling takes a ride with Queenstown-based luxury chauffeurs BlackZQN.

Providing a dedicated personal service for the discerning voyager, BlackZQN exists to turn what is traditionally a travel nuisance into an indulgent experience.

“They’re all black, high performance and European,” says BlackZQN manager Mike Stevens of his ‘Black Fleet’; which comprises high specification vehicles. “Our drivers are also reliable, discreet and very well connected.”

More than just a chauffeured driving service, BlackZQN is a purveyor of concierge-style excursions, with each driver selected based on experience and expertise. Stevens himself has worked within the wine industry and has contacts with the influential growers in New Zealand’s South Island.

“So if I am taking people on a wine tour, we are more likely to be talking to the owner or the winemaker than a cellar door person,” he says.

“Similarly, we have a driver who knows most of the artists in the South Otago area, so art lovers will be given an insight into the lives of artists at work, should they desire to go on an art tour.”

Stevens believes luxury should be understated, yet “sumptuous and relaxing, completely stress free”, he comments. BlackZQN positions itself at the highest end of the market. “We formed the company because we had been frequently approached about the need for a premium service where ‘exceptional’ is actually the norm.”